News Thread

Your post awakened memories. The pub on the edge of Blackheath - The Prince of Wales, by the duck pond and next to The Paragon. I have photos of my son riding on the donkeys on the heath next to the gate into Greenwich Park, where my husband had just played cricket and we drank afterwards with the home team at The Prince of Wales. I bought a fabulous black wet look very mini dress in about 1970 from the boutique Clobber in Blackheath Village owned by Jeff Banks. I went to the Roan Grammar School - the girls' school was in Devonshire Drive and the boys' in Maze Hill - areas you probably remember. I had various jobs in Blackheath Hill, Greenwich High Road and College Row. Happy memories of yesteryear, but I wouldn't go back.

This morning I walked my amazing 11th Flatcoated Retriever down a country lane with no traffic because of the ford, and across fields to say hello to the cows waiting at the gate. You don't get that in SE3.

Ahh.....The Prince of Wales......That's the very one! I don't recall the other places you mention, but I've picnic'd in Greenwich Park though!

I wouldn't fancy living in London at all even with the lifestyle I would imagine it would be difficult to make friends. Some may think aw a typical Scot. I left UK aged 21 and went to Australia and settled in Melbourne I had lots of friends and never felt out of place. Melbourne has a large population but the town cenetre is not really so big it felt quite intimate. Yes the suburbs are sprawling but there are good transport systems into town. In the summer when it was hot you were never to far from the sea. I loved the lifestyle and would still like to go back but not able to because of mine and my huband's health problems.

Melbourne is a lovely city and have never felt intimidated walking back from the AO at night. I'm sure its like any other city and has its good and bad bits.

The Prince of Wales yikes, used to drink there after work.Till last year used to go to my dentist in Blackheath. Then he retired to long distance walking.I mean how selfish can you get? @ElenaI've got dear friends still living in South London and recent occurrences: my friend's daughter was on a double decker and going through the Elephant it was shot at, and another daughter, heavily pregnant and minding her own business was almost run over, deliberately the car mounted the pavement. Both of these were drug related. I think central London is great. I love the South Bank, but when you get to the endless waste lands in South East London, well some are quite dodgy and of course the density of population means there will be more crimes. Also, don't think the extremes of wealth and poverty you get in London promote harmony.London is like a separate country with a country.

I wouldn't fancy living in London at all even with the lifestyle I would imagine it would be difficult to make friends. Some may think aw a typical Scot.

How bizarre! Why wouldn't you be able to make friends? Neighbours and colleagues become friends, people you get chatting to down the pub.... Some of my best and most gregarious friends are Scots. Bringing up children without a garden means going to the park, baby gym, kid's library sessions, primary, secondary school etc - meeting other parents every day, many of whom have remained best friends for over 20 years now.

I do remember though that my dad was surprised when he came to visit once after retiring to France, that a short walk down the street, taking my son to nursery, involved stopping to chat to several people on the way.

The Prince of Wales yikes, used to drink there after work.Till last year used to go to my dentist in Blackheath. Then he retired to long distance walking.I mean how selfish can you get? @ElenaI've got dear friends still living in South London and recent occurrences: my friend's daughter was on a double decker and going through the Elephant it was shot at, and another daughter, heavily pregnant and minding her own business was almost run over, deliberately the car mounted the pavement. Both of these were drug related. I think central London is great. I love the South Bank, but when you get to the endless waste lands in South East London, well some are quite dodgy and of course the density of population means there will be more crimes. Also, don't think the extremes of wealth and poverty you get in London promote harmony.London is like a separate country with a country.

Dreadful to hear about your friends daughters BBH! Thank goodness they're ok! I've been through the Elephant by bus, loads of times on my way to work, during the rail strikes, but I was never shot at. There weren't all that many guns on the streets in those days though and not many drugs either. Changed days eh? I still think London's a fantastic city and I visit often, but I wouldn't really fancy living in any large city nowadays.......Far two much violence for me. Even in the short time I lived there, I was robbed twice. Once in the street and once when our flat was burgled. That was enough for me. I much prefer the quiet, rural life now, but close enough to the city to visit when I like! Best of both worlds!

@ElenaI've got dear friends still living in South London and recent occurrences: my friend's daughter was on a double decker and going through the Elephant it was shot at, and another daughter, heavily pregnant and minding her own business was almost run over, deliberately the car mounted the pavement. Both of these were drug related. I think central London is great. I love the South Bank, but when you get to the endless waste lands in South East London, well some are quite dodgy and of course the density of population means there will be more crimes. Also, don't think the extremes of wealth and poverty you get in London promote harmony.London is like a separate country with a country.

Sorry bbh, didn't see your edit before signing off. Been busy with things to do, friends to see.

Very sorry to hear about your friend's daughters' experiences, and glad they were unharmed.

I'm not pretending that nothing bad happens, or that life in London is without its challenges. But I have lived in SE London, and still work there three days a week,travelling through Elephant & Castle to get there. Good friends and a niece live in E & C - other friends in New Cross, Lewisham, Eltham, Brixton, and Blackheath too. My brother has lived in Hackney for 30 years, I've worked in a school in Bethnal Green, my son has lived in Mile End and is currently working in a special school for very challenging kids in Borough. Both children went to a school in Westminster which tops the list for reported crimes in London. So I tap in to quite a big network of experience in areas that feature quite highly in the " London's really scary, who'd live there," type stories, and I thought I was reasonably qualified to comment on how safe it feels living in London now. But maybe not.

@Caz - I too remember the interminable bus journeys in to town. But Ken and his congestion charge and rigorously enforced bus lanes changed all that and bus travel is generally much more reliable. Lots more night buses too - which even we oldies sometimes use. As for the changed days - we'd heard there used to be quite a lot of crime (and drug use) in SE London and elsewhere back in the 60s and 70s. When we first moved to Catford we were told not to go to Doggett Road "where the criminals live" or to the restaurants connected with the Richardson gang. So mostly we didn't - easy.

Anyway, just had a lovely day out in the country visiting friends. They've replaced most of the stuff from the last burglary so we had chairs to sit on, my car didn't get damaged while parked on the verge outside (unlike last time). luckily we didn't get mown down by the quad bikes on the bridle path, and the cows weren't out in the next field (hasn't been cut for silage yet), so no danger of being trampled to death when we went for a walk, like that guy a couple of weeks ago. Maybe the next door neighbour was out, or unusually didn't feel the need to deafen us with the strimmer, lawn mower, or leaf blower, and his dogs only barked furiously for 10 minutes or so when something upset them. So we got back to town pretty much unscathed - phew! (Please don't take any of that seriously - I love the countryside too).

According to the recent UK Peace Study, the most dangerous place to live is Lewisham in South London where more than 400 violent crimes are carried out every month, while Glasgow is identified as the city in the UK with the worst crime rate followed by London and Belfast. In addition, Glasgow’s murder rate is double the national average.

Lol Elena I do know what u mean about the countryside. Once had a holiday in the remote Welsh hills. Farmer had loads of sheepdogs, mostly penned up.They barked incessantly the whole time. I think small cities are, for me, the best places because u get culture/diversity etc but can escape quite easily too . Envy Aileen living in Edinburgh, which is one of my favourite cities, but all my family/friends are down South.

The way I see it, it makes Obama look particularly good. Fox News on the other hand may not agree.

They got their panties in a twist over a Marine holding an umbrella over Obama and a diplomat, if I recall correctly, even though Marines have done that for every president. So, I expect a "scandal" for anything Obama does at this point.